Adhesive applying apparatus



March 1953 c. F. SC'HAEFER 2,82

ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed March 1. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 g, I W M INVEN TOR.

(mm; 55 F. 5: wa ns} BY? J Afrdi/VE/ March 1953 c. F. SCHAEFER 2,827,010

ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed March 1, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. Gaines Scwfier-zw March 1958 c. F. SCHAEFER 2,827,010

ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed March 1. 1.956 v z Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. (Am/ass f .SEfl/fl/EFER United States Patent ADEESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Charles F. Schaefer, Stratfortl, Conn.

Application March 1, 1956, Serial No. 568,722

14 Claims. (Cl. 118241) The present invention relates to apparatus for applying adhesives, particularly latex and other fluid adhesives free of solvents, to sheet or slab materials.

An object of this invention is to provide an adhesive applying apparatus that can accommodate sheet or slab materials having great differences in the thickness thereof, for example, relatively thin paper or cardboard sheets, representing the lower end of the range of thicknesses, as well as, thick slabs, cushions or mattresses of foam rubber, representing the upper end of the range of thicknesses.

Another object is to provide adhesive applying apparatus of the described character that is constructed and arranged to facilitate the cleaning thereof, particularly with respect to the removal of the tank or reservoir containing the adhesive to permit the thorough cleaning of such tank.

or slab material, the latter is passed, by one or more feed rollers, under a coating unit that includes a tank containing a supply of the fluid adhesive to be applied, a rotatable tank roller dipping into the supply of adhesive from above, a rotatable transfer roller in rolling contact with the tank roller, and a rotatable coating roller in rolling contact with the transfer roller to receive adhesive from the latter and to apply such adhesive to the sheet or slab material passed under the coating roller. Feed tables or conveyors are normally arranged in front and in back of the feed rollers to carry the sheet or slab material to and from the latter.

In adhesive applying apparatus existing prior to this invention provision Was made for moving the coating roller upwardly, usually about a pivot coinciding with the rotational axis of the transfer roller, to permit access to strippers normally engaging the surface of the coating roller and to permit cleaning of the feed roller. However such movement of the coating roller relative to the transfer and tank rollers and to the tank, which remained stationary, could not be relied upon to achieve a wide range in the operating clearance between the coating and feed rollers for accommodating either thin or very thick sheet or slab material, since the stationary tank would interfere with the passage thereunder of a thick sheet or slab, for example, a cushion or mattress of foam rubber. In the existing apparatus, the operating clearance between the coating and feed rollers is usually varied by effecting vertical movement of the latter, but such adjustment of the vertical position of the feed roller or rollers necessarily is limited and permits only a limited variation in the operating clearance by reason of the positions of the feed tables or conveyors leading to and from the feed roller or rollers.

in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an adhesive applying apparatus is made to accommodate sheet or slab materials having a wide range of thicknesses by mounting the tank, tank roller, transfer roller and coating roller for vertical movement as a unit rela- Z,3Z?,@l@ Patented Mar. 18, 1%58 tive to the feed roller or rollers and the feed tables or conveyors associated with the latter so that, when the coating roller is moved upwardly to provide a large clearance between the coating roller and the feed roller or rollers for accommodating a thick slab to be coated, the tank undergoes a corresponding upward movement to provide adequate clearance for the thick slab between the bottom of the tank and the underlying feed table or conveyor.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, cleaning of the apparatus, and particularly of the tank thereof, is facilitated by mounting the tank roller for swinging movement between an operative or lowered position, where it dips into the tank, and an inoperative or raised position, where the tank roller clears the top edges of the end walls of the tank to permit the latter to be slidably removed from under the tank roller for a on the swinging mounting of the tank roller, which arms can be directed vertically downward from the swinging mounting when the coating unit is in an elevated position, and fixed abutments disposed in the path of the downwardly directed arms to restrict the downward movement of the latter when the coating unit is lowered,

and thereby to swing the mounting of the tank roller for raising the latter relative to the tank.

The above, and other, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the In apparatus for p y a coating of adhesive to sheet following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig.1 is a side elevational view of an adhesive applying apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. l, but viewing the side of the apparatus opposed to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which such apparatus facilitates the removal of the adhesive conexample, and generally identified by the reference numeral it}. The apparatus 10 includes a bed or frame 32 having horizontally extending, parallel side frame members 14 and 16 which are suitably joined together, for example, by cross members 18 (Fig. 2), and supported on legs 20 (Fig. 1).

Bearing supports 22 are mounted upon the side frame members 14 and 16 and, at their upper portions, carry bearings 24 which rotatably receive the opposite ends of a shaft 26. A feed roller 28 is mounted on the shaft 26 for rotation with the latter and is adapted to advance the sheet or slab material to be coated in the direction along the frame or bed 12. Although the illustrated apparatus 10 has only one feed roller 28, it is to be understood that two or more feed rollers may be provided. The sheet or slab material to be coated may be carried to and from the feed roller 28 either by stationary feed tables or by conveyors, as shown. The illustrated apparatus includes a feed-in conveyor 30 and a delivery conveyor 32. The feed-in conveyor 30 has laterally extending rollers 34 and 36 which are journaled in bean .ings 38 and 40 mounted onthe forward. ends. of

asaamgo;

theside frame members 14 and 16 and on the bearing supports 22, respectively, and an endless belt or web 42 traveling around the rollers 34 and 36. Similarly, the. deliveryconveyor 32 includes laterally. extending rollers; 44 and- 46 which are journaled in bearings 48 and 50' mounted on the back ends, of the'side frame. members 14:and 16 and on the bearing supports 22, respectively, and'an'. end-. less belt or web 52 traveling around the. rollers. 44 and 46. It is to be understood that at least one of the rollers of each of, the conveyors 39 and 32 isrotatably driven so that the upper runs of the belts 42 and 52 willrnove in the same direction, as the movementofithe upper portionfof the feed roller 28; for eXarnple,.frorn nightto left in Fig. l, as represented by the arrows 54 on. the

latter." Thus,; a sheet or-slab. ofmaterial; torbe coated,

when placed upon the conveyor 30, will: be carried? by the latter to the feed roller: 28, which .actson; themate rial during thecoating ther of. and, followingithe application of the adhesive orother; coating, thexcfonv yor 32' will carry the coated material awayffrom the: feed roller 28. p I 1 In order to apply an adhesive or other coating-tosheet or slab material being advanced by the feed: roller 23., the apparatus 1t) includes a coating unit; 56 havinga tank'orreservoir- 58 for containing the adhesiyiion other fluid coating medium, a tank roller 60 normally dip-ping into the tank58 to take-up adhesive from the latter, a transfer roller 62 in rolling contact with theta-nk roller to receive adhesive from the latter, and a coatingreller 64- in rolling eoutact with the transfer roller. to receive a controlled quantity of adhesive from the latter and positioned to; apply such adhesive to the upper surface of sheetor slab material being advanced by the-feed roller In. accordance with the present invention, the tank 58 and rollers 60, 62 and 64 are mounted for vertical movement, as a" unit, relative to the frame 12 so that, as the operating clearance between the coating roller 6 4'and the feed roller 28 is increased or decreased; 'a corresponding change occurs in the clearance between the bot;

flanges. 82. extending. along. the outer. margins. of their top surfaces for substantial portions of the lengths thereof to laterally position the tank 58 when the latter is in its operative position (Fig. l) and to guide the tank during its rearward sliding removal from between the support members.

It is apparent that suchsliding removal of the tank 58 from between the support members 66 can be accom plished only if some provisionis made for lifting the tank roller 60 fromv its normal position dipping into the tank to an elevation where the top edge of the front wall of the tank will clean the: bottom. of the. tank-roller. In order to permit the raising and lowering of the tank roller 60, the supporting structure for the rollers 60, 62 and 64 5). The journals" 88. at theopposite ends of the coating roller 64 are rotatable in suitable bearings in the arms 84. adjacent; the; pivot; pins. 86, while the journals 90,. at the-opposite'endsxof the transfer; roller 62. are rotatable in bearing blocks 92: that; are adjustable within. the support; arms: 84; in: the, longitudinal direction. of the; latter to vary the'contact pressurebetween; the-rollers 62' and 6A. The tanle roller. 60. has: journals; 94' at: its opposite ends that are rotatable in suitable bearings provided in auxiliary support arms 96. intermediate: the endsof. the latter; 'Iheforward ends of the auxiliary'support arms96 are bifurcated as, at 98; Fig, 4). to; receive ears;.100rex tending firom: the related maina'support arms- 84; and pivot pins; 192. extend, throughv the. ears 100 and the; bi-

furcated ends 98 of the related auxiliary supportarms to.

pivotally connect the latter; to the arms 84.

In order to determine the; angular. positions: of the arms-96 with respectltedhe related arms 84,,the arms 96- are provided with. extensions. 1B4; projecting upwardly tom of the tank 58 andthe upper runof the belt 52 of delivery conveyor 32. .Tl'hus, the apparatus may be. ad: justed to accommodate sheet or slab materials having a wide range of thicknessespfor. example, relatively thin sheets of paperor cardboard aswell as slabs cushions-or mattresses of foam rubber. having. thicknesses as large as four to six inches.. V a f In the illustrated, apparatus 10, such vertical-move ment of the tank 58 and'rollers 6 9, 62 and.64, asa unit, is achieved by providing a mounting therefor. that-includes generally horizontally extending,. parallel andllaterally spaced apart, elongated. supportrnembersofi. which are fixed on the upper. ends of vertical jack screws.6.8', The jack screws. 68 are vertically slidabl in suitable guide members 70 depending fromthe side ,frame members 14 and 16, and adjustingnuts72 are threaded' on the jack screws 68 and rest on suitable] thrust bearings 74 carried by the guide members 70. In order to'etfectthejoi'nt vertical movement of the jack screws 68; the adjusting. nuts 72 have worm wheelsformedinthe. outerperipheral surfaces thereof and meshing with worms.76,secpred'onl a common laterally extending shaft 78; The .shaftl 78ils' journalled, adjacent its' opposite ends, in bearings car-. ried by the guide members 76; and ahand" wheel 'StP is secured on one end of the shaft 78 to permit'rnanualrota tio n of' the latter. Thus the adjusting nuts 72fmay be rotated jointly to effect, either raising or lowering ofthe support members 66, depending upon the directionoftli'e; rotation manually imparted to'the-shaft 72h The-tank 58' spans the lateral" space between the sup} port members 66 and 'theopposite' longitudinal edge1por= tions of the bottom of the tank rests lidably'upon the-top surfaces-of; the supportpmembers fifi. Further the-sup port members 66 are provided with upstandiiilg guide therefrom and rotatably supporting. the opposite; ends of" acam shaftltlfig having eecent-rics 108'fixed onits oppositeends. 'llhe free ends; of; the arms; 84 havepads L10 extending the e rnm. nd bol s- 1:2: r h ead d.- thro the-pads 11-0 to beargagainst the eccentrics 1.08fon the adjacent ends. of theacam shaft. Tension springs 1-14Lare connected between the free, ends of arms 84 andthe exe sio 3n -9 o g the a m 4 nd 9. n: gularly relative to each other in the direetion abutting the bolts Lllagainstzthe eccentrics 1,08. Thus,;th'e eccentrics 10 -.a d1 2' rfiwide en adiust ent o e.- cla iv angu: lar p s ic Qf-t e msMaud ;.and. c f h r on:

bc w en. an 'mll'e nd r s er o le a of;

116 depending from the back, end; portions of the arms 96 andadapted'tqbear. upon the upper edges ofthe flanges 82 on the supportj members ,66 (Figs; 1 and 2); Itisf apparent that if the back end portions of the support arms96 are. raised relative to the support members 66; the arms 96anjd'8fl'will1swing together about the pivots 86 to'li ft the, tank rollerfio above the .top edgeof the front"wa'll .ofttank;58.' However, the rollers,.60, 62'and 64' are usually pfjstainless steel and; in' an apparatus in- @tended for COafin'glWid sheet 'or slab'imaterial, for. ex-

ample, materialhaving 'widths of up 81:40 inches, such rollers are too heavy; to be directly lifted-manually. Accordingly; in apparatus= embodying the presentinventipng-"themechanism for'raising; and lowering thesup:

port members ofi 'relative to; the frame 12*"is 'employed to; facilitate the raising of the tank roller 6}!- relative" to the-tank; Such use of the worm d'rivecausing vertical:

movement of the jack screws 68 for the purpose of facilitating the raising of the tank roller is made possible by providing lift arms 118 pivoted, at one end, as at 120, on the back ends of the auxiliary support arms 96 and swingable relative to the latter between inoperative rearwardly and upwardly inclined positions (Fig. l) and operative positions extending vertically downward from the arms 96 (Fig. 5). In order to provide for the joint movement of the lift arms 118 between their operative and inoperative positions, control arms 122 extend angularly from the pivoted ends of the arms 118 and are joined together by a lateral rod 124 forming a handle by which the lift arms 118 can be angularly displaced about their pivots 126. The arrangement for facilitating raising of the tank roller is completed by fixed abutments 126 extending upwardly from the side frame members 14 and 16 and vertically registering with the lift arms 118 when the latter are in their vertically depending operative positions (Fig. 5

Normally the lift arms 118 are in their inoperative positions (Fig. 1) so that the support members 66, which form a support head for the coating unit 56, can be raised and lowered relative to the frame 12 to adjust the working or operating clearance between rollers 28 and 64 and between the conveyor 32 and the bottom of tank 58 without any contact occurring between the lift arms 118 and the fixed abutrnents 126. However, the length of each of the lift arms 118 is substantially greater than the distance between the pivot 120 and the top of the related abutment 126 with the support members 66 in a lowered position thereof so that, when the support members 66 are raised above that lowered position, the lift arms 118 can be angularly displaced to their depend ing operative positions aligned with the abutments 126. Thereafter, when the support members 66 are again lowered, the free ends of the lift arms 118 will bear on the abutments 126 and further lowering of the support members 66 will cause the arms 96 and 84 to swing together about the pivots 86 thereby to raise the tank roller 60 relative to the tank 58 resting on the members 66 (Fig. 5) so that the tank can then be slidably withdrawn from under the tank roller to facilitate thorough cleaning of the tank and of the tank roller.

Preferably, in an adhesive applying apparatus embodying the present invention, the conveyors 30 and 32, the feed roller 28 and the rollers 60, 62 and 64 of the coating unit 56 are all driven from a single source. Thus, in the illustrated apparatus 10, a drive shaft 128 is rotatably mounted on the frame 12 and is driven, by suitable means (not shown). The drive shaft 128 carries a pinion 139 that meshes with a spur gear 132 (shown in broken lines on Fig. l) on one end of the roller 36 of in-feed conveyor 36. The opposite end of roller 36 carries a drive sprocket 134 (Fig. 3), and the adjacent ends of the feed roller 28 and of the roller '46 of delivery conveyor 32 have sprockets 136 and 138, respectively, thereon to be driven by an endless chain 140 passing around the sprockets 134, 136 and 138, and around a tensioning sprocket 142. Thus, the conveyors 30 and 32 and the feed roller 28 are jointly driven from the drive shaft 128.

The drive of the rollers 60, 62 and 64 is derived from the rotation of roller 46 of conveyor 32. For this purpose, a gear 144 (Pi s. 1 and 2) is fixed on the end of roller 46 remote from the sprocket 138 and meshes with the gear of a combined gear and sprocket 146 rotatable on a stub shaft 148 projecting from the adjacent bearing support 22. The sprocket portion of the combined gear and sprocket 146 drives an endless chain 151') that travels around one part of a double sprocket 152 on the journal 68 of coating roller 64 and also around a tensioning sprocket 154. The tensioning sprocket 154 is rotatably mounted on'one end of a lever 156 that ispivoted intermediate its ends, as at 153, on the side frame the side frame member 14 and the end of lever 156 re mote from the sprocket 154 to yieldably urge the lever 156 to rock in the counter-ciockwise direction, as viewed on Fig. 1, that is, in the direction for tensioning the endless chain 150. The arrangement described above makes it possible. to drive the coating roller 64 from the roller 46 of the delivery conveyor while permitting vertical adjustment of the coating unit 56 relative to the frame 12. As the sprocket 152 moves vertically toward and away from the combined gear and sprocket 146, the sprocket 154 is displaced about the pivot 158 of lever 156 to maintain a substantially constant tension in the chain 150.

The transfer roller 62 is driven from the coating roller 64 and, for this purpose, a sprocket 162 is fixed on the journal 90 at one end of the transfer roller (Figs. 1 and 2), and an endless chain 164 travels around sprockets 162 and 152 and is engaged by a tensioning sprocket 166. Further, a gear 168 (Fig. 3) is fixed on the journal at the end of the transfer roller 62 remote from the sprocket 162 and meshes with a gear 170 on the journal 94 at the adjacent end of the tank roller so that the latter is rotated from the transfer roller 62. It will be noted that the chain 164 and the sprockets 152 and 162 coop crate to rotate the transfer roller 62 in the same direction as the coating roller 64, that is, in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that there is a Wiping or sliding action at the line of tangency between these rollers. Since the rollers 62 and 64 are moving in opposite directions at the line of tangency, some clearance is preferably maintained between their surfaces so that the wiping action will not remove all of the adhesive from the coating roller. Further, although the gears 168 and 170 rotate the tank roller 66 in the direction opposed to the rotation of the transfer roller, it will be seen that the pitch diameter of gear 170 is substantially larger than the pitch diameter of gear 168 so that the rotational speed of the tank roller is less than that of the transfer roller and a wiping or sliding action is also obtained at the line of contact between the rollers 60 and 62.

Although a particular arrangement has been illustrated and described herein for driving the conveyors 30 and 32, the feed roller 28, and the rollers 60, 62 and 64 of the coating unit, it is apparent that other arrangements may be provided for that purpose in an adhesive applying apparatus embodying the present invention.

It will be apparent that, in any case, the rollers 66, 62 and 64 are movable vertically, as a unit, relative to the frame 12 thereby to vary the clearance between the coating roller 64 and the feed roller 28 and to similarly vary the clearance between the bottom of tank 58 and the delivery conveyor 32. Thus, when the coating roller 64 is raised to accommodate thick material to be coated between the rollers 28 and 64, it is certain that the clearance under the tank 58 will also be adequate for such material. Further, since the relative positions of the tank 53 and rollers 64 62 and 64 do not vary during such vertical adjustment of the coating unit 56, the conditions under which adhesive is transferred to the coating roller will remain unchanged. Finally, it will be apparent that, in apparatus embodying the present invention, the swingable mountings for the rollers 66, 62 and 64 of the coating unit 56 in combination with the lift arms 118 and abutments 126 make it possible to employ the mechanism effecting vertical movement of the coating unit for raising the tank roller 66 out of the tank 58 so that the latter can be easily removed for thorough cleaning.

Although an illustrative embodiment of the invention having the above characteristics has been shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected in the latter Without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended member 14. A tension spring 169 is connected between claims.

whatgld claimed i'sz; r f LAn, apparatus, for; coating. sheet or'slabfmaterial. gomprising; a, frame, rotated feed. roller means; on; said frame. for, advancing, materials to hecoated relative to the latter, a, coating unit support head movable vertically relative to, said, frame, a coating unit on. said" support head including a; tank for containinglacoating substance, a rotated' coatingrollen extending he'lovii the Bottom of said tank, a rotated tankrollen, imountingi.means fbr. said tank: roller, swingably connected" to. said support liead'v'to' permit displacement: of saidltankfro'ller relative to said headbetwee'n an operative position dipping into .said.t-anK topick up; coating suhsta-ncefrom .the,.latten andla' raised position clear. ofisaidftanfi permitting. remoy'alxofl the latter from: under. saidl tank; roller, ,and. a transfer. roller associatedi with said; tank' and: coating rollers 1 to, transfer coiating slubstanceflfrom QthefOrmeL td the. latter fin: appli new cationby said, coatingn-foller to mat'eriaLadvancedZEy; said 7 feed rolIermeans, through j'tlie; clearance between the. latter. and, thecoating roller, means operative to. vertically displacesaidisupport' head relative t'o;said' frame thereby to vary said" clearance wine correspondingly displacing said tank. so that materials ,havinga .Wide' rang, dff-tliick nesse'si c'a'nbe passedthrough saidcle aran'ce 'a'nd'under' said tank, "fiiie'df abutmems on said frame, and. means on said swingable mounting means of the tank rollers selectively' movable to positit'n'nsw vertically aligned; with said abuti'nents' to be engaged. by the" latter; when said support head is lowered ther'eby, to displace, sa'iditank roller to its raisedposition .permittingremovali'of said tank. r r

2. Apparatus for applying a coating of adhesive and the like to sheet ,or slab material; said appaiatuslcomprising a fi'ame, means for advancing the material to be coated along 'sa'idffr'ame; af coatingunitl above said frame and 7 including a tank opening upwardly and'adaptedltol con-.

tain a coating, substance, aurota'ted tankroll'er normally dipping into s'aidtanklto taker-up coatingrsub'stance. from means for varying the vertical clearancetbetween said coating: roller and materialiadvancingmeans and ibetween said tank', and? material advancingffneans, and controllable means' operativetoivertically displace said coating unit relative to said frame and material advancing means.

31 Apparatus for; applying a coating ofiadliesiv e: and the likejto sheet ,orislab material; saidapparatuscompris-w ing a frame, meausfor advancinglthe material tobe'coated alongsaid'frame, a coating unit above said frame'and including a tank iopeningupwardly and "adapted to contain a coating substance, a rotated tankroller normally dipping; into said'tank' to takeup coating. substance from the latter, a rotated transfersrollerdisposedito receive coating substance fr'om said tank roller and'a rotateducoating.rollers disposed to receive coating,substance,fromsaid= transfer rolleriand to apply such ,coating substance ,to. material carried by said' material: advancing jrneans, supporting members having said tank slidablymounted thereon, means mounting. said'itank, transfer: andlqcoating rollers on said supporting? members and permitting: movement; of. said thetvertical clearance 'between said: coatinggroller and ma teriaL advancing means; and;betvveen said;tank andmate v rialzadvancing means, and normally-inoperative liftmeans disposableatodimit the-movement of-saidatankizrollentorward said "frame :-so, that, when said supportingmembers are displaced downwardly beyond the location where thei 'movement of said tank roller toward the frame is limited,

saidjlift mean raises. sa'id'tank roller relative to said tank; to permit .slid'abTe' withdrawaliofltlie latter fromunder the rais'editank roller.

41 Apparatus fdr'applyin'ga coating Qfiadhe'sive and'aie like to sheet: or slab-material; saidlapparatus comprising ri ed by said"materialladvancing means; supportingtmenn hers. having 1 tank. s'lid ahly mountedthereon means mounting} said tanlg transfer and. coating rollers on. said supporting members and permitting movement of said; tankrolleiz-in-a generally verticaldirection relativeto said supporting members,,rrieans for vertically displacing-said, supporting ;members..relative .to said frame thereby to vary: the :verticallcleariance between said coatingroiler. and ma-. ter iall advancing. means. andzbetween said tank and materialladvancing rneans,Ifiredabutmentsi on said frame,

'e rative positions aligned with said: abutments: to" engage the latter andllimit tthedovvnward movement of said v.tanlo roller relative to said-framesothag, when saidj lift arms:

are in saidnoperative.positions andsaid supporting mernl hers are displaced downwardlybeyond the elevation at which .sa'idt-liftiarm'sengagezsaid abutments, said tank roller is 3 raised out :of; said tank; to permit slidable withdrawal ofthealatterafrom under-.thetank rollen t V 7 5r pa u lv-aanl w t n a h e-a dh like to sheet or;slab. rnateria l; -said apparatus comprising a frame -means for: advancing; the: material ato be coatedalong saidframe -KaD coating unit; above said: frame and ine eludinga. tank openingg upwardly; and adapted; to .-conta.in; a coating substance, a-zrotated-tankroller normally; dipping; into said tank to take up coating; substance from the latter,

a rotated transfer: roller disposedto receive coating substance from said tankoroller. and a-rotated coating roller dis posed to receivecoating substance from said transfer rollerand to apply suchcoatingsubstance to material (carried bysaidmaterial advancing rneans, horizontally extending supporting members: having said. tank supported, thereon mountingg means fors said tank roller, transfer. roller and coating rollercarried by said supporting membersajacki screwsidepending,fronr-saidr'supporting members, guide; means ions-saidframereceivingsaid jack screws and guid-- ing the latter in rvert-icaljmovement relative" to said fra'me rotatable adiusti-ngmutson said jackhscrews; thrust bearingsrint saicLv guide means supporting said adjusting: nuts;

and means forsimultaneously rotatingsaid adjusting nuts so that said jack screws arei'thereby moved vertically to.

' varythe clearance-between.said-coatingroller and'said V tank roller inagenerally vertical direction relativetosaid 'suppo'rting members, means for vertically displacing said supportingmembers relative tosaidIframethBreBy tovary material advancing meansnand betweensaid'tank and ma terial advancing means for accommodating materials to'be: coated-'havinga wide rangerinthe thicknesses thereof. 7

6. Apparatus for :applyinga coating of adhesive and the:

like. to 'sheet'or slab material; said apparatus comprising;

a :frame, means :for (advancing the material; to the coated alongsaid frame, ;a' coatingunit'above said frame and in:-

7 cluding aiank opening upwardlyand adaptedv to contain.

a, coating substance, arotated tank roller normally dipping} into :said tank totake up coating substance from the latter;

a-rotatedtransfenrollerdisposed to receive coating-substance fromlsaid tanlc rollersand a rotatedtcoating roller.

transfer roller and coating roller on said supporting members for swinging about an axis spaced from said tank roller, means limiting swinging of said rollers in the direction moving said tank roller into said tank and defining the normal position of said tank roller relative to said tank, jack screws depending from said supporting members, means on said frame guiding said jack screws to move vertically, rotatable adjusting nuts threaded on said jack screws and supported from said frame, means for ro tating said adjusting nuts simultaneously so that said jack screws and supporting members are vertically displaced to vary the clearance between said coating roller and mater'ial advancing means and between said tank and material advancing means for accommodating materials to be coated having a wide range of thicknesses in said clearances, and normally inoperative lift means displaceable to operative position to limit the downward movement of said tank roller so that, when said supporting members are displaced downwardly beyond the location where the downward movement of said tank roller is limited by said lift means, with the latter in said operative position, said pivotal mounting means of the tank, transfer and coating rollers is angularly displaced by said lift means relative to said supporting members in the direction raising said tank roller out of said tank to permit the slidable removal of the latter from said supporting members.

7. Apparatus for applying a coating of adhesive and the like to sheet or slab material; said apparatus comprising a frame, means for advancing the material to be coated along said frame, a coating unit above said frame and including a tank opening upwardly and adapted to contain a coating substance, a rotated tank roller normally dipping into said tank to take up coating substance from the latter, a rotated transfer roller disposed to receive coating substance from said tank roller and a rotated coating roller disposed to receive coating substance from said transfer roller and to apply such coating substance to material carried by said material advancing means, horizontally extending supporting members having said tank slidably supported thereon, means pivotally mounting said tank roller, transfer roller and coating roller on said supporting members for swinging about an axis spaced from said tank roller, means limiting swinging of said rollers in the direction moving said tank roller into said tank and defining the normal position of said tank roller relative to said tank, jack screws depending from said supporting members, means on said frame guiding said jack screws to move vertically, rotatable adjusting nuts threaded on said jack screws and supported from said frame, means for rotating said adjusting nuts simultaneously so that said jack screws and supporting members are vertically displaced to vary the clearance between said coating roller and material advancing means and between said tank and material advancing means for accommodating materials to be coated having a wide range to thicknesses in said clearances, fixed abutments on said frame, and lift arms pivoted on said mounting means of the rollers and movable between inoperative positions out of the reach of said abutments and operative depending positions aligned with said abutments to engage the latter and limit the downward movement of said tank roller during downward displacement of said supporting members so that, when said downward displacement of said supporting members is continued after engagement of said abutments and lift arms, said mounting means of the rollers is angularly displaced relative to said supporting members in the direction raising said tank roller out of said tank to permit slidable removal of the latter from said supporting members.

8. Apparatus for applying a coating of adhesive and the like to sheet or slab material; said apparatus comprising a frame, means for advancing the material to be coated horizontally along said frame, a coating unit supporting head above said frame, means operative to vertically displace said head relative to said frame, a tank for coating substance slidably received on said head,

mounting structure pivoted at one end on said head, a tank roller on said structure spaced from the pivoting axis of the latter and normally dipping into said tank to pick up coating substance from the latter, a coating roller on said structure with its axis close to said pivoting axis of the structure and with its surface extending below said tank, a transfer roller on said structure between said tank and coating rollers to transfer coating substance from said tank roller to said coating roller for application to material on said advancing means and means for limiting the downward movement of the free end of said mounting structure with said head so that, in response to continued downward movement of said head, said mounting structure is pivoted relative to said head in the direction raising said tank roller relative to said tank to permit slidable removal of the latter from under said tank roller.

9. Apparatus for applying a coating of'adhesive and the like to sheet or slab material; said apparatus comprising a frame, means for advancing the material to be coated horizontally along said frame, a coating unit supporting head above said frame, means operative to vertically displace said head relative to said frame, a tank for coating substance slidably received on said head, mounting structure pivoted at one end on said head, a tank roller on said structure spaced from the pivoting axis of the latter and normally dipping into said tank to pick up coating substance from the latter, a coating roller on said structure with its axis close to said pivoting axis of the structure and with its surface extending below said tank, a transfer roller on said structure between said tank and coating rollers to transfer coating substance from said tank roller to said coating roller for application to material on said advancing means, fixed abutments on said frame, and lift arms pivoted on said mounting structure at locations spaced from said pivoting axis of the latter and movable between inoperative positions out of reach of said abutments and operative depending positions where said lift arms are engageable with said abutments to limit the downward movement of the free end of said mounting structure so that, in response to continued downward movement of said head after engagement of said lift arms with said abutments, said mounting structure is pivoted in the direction raising said tank roller relative to said tank to permit withdrawal of the latter from under said tank roller.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9; wherein said means operative to vertically displace said head relative to said frame includes threaded spindles depending from said head, guide means on said frame receiving said threaded spindles and restricting the latter to vertical movement relative to said frame, adjusting nuts on said threaded spindles, thrust bearings carried by said guide means and supporting said nuts, and means for simultaneously rotating said adjusting nuts.

11. Apparatus as in claim 10; wherein said means for simultaneously rotating said nuts includes a rotatable shaft and a Worm on said shaft for each of said adjusting nuts, each of said nuts having a worm gear on the periphery thereof meshing with the related worm on said shaft to be rotated in response to rotation of said shaft.

12. Apparatus as in claim 9; wherein said mounting structure includes main support arms pivoted at one end on said head and rotatably carrying said transfer and coating rollers, auxiliary support arms pivoted at one end on said main support arms for angular displacement relative to the latter and rotatably carrying said tank roller, and means adjustably determining the angular relation of said auxiliary support arms to said main support arms thereby to control the transfer of coating substance from said tank roller to said transfer roller.

13. Apparatus as in claim 9; further comprising means rotating said tank and transfer rollers in opposed directions at different surface speeds and rotating said coat! 7 the like to sheet or'slab' material; said apparatus comprising a frame, at least one rotated feed'roller on" said frame, iirfeed and delivery conveyors for advancing material'to be coated to and from said frame, a coating unit supporting head above said frame, means for disp la cing said head vertically with respect to said frame and said feed roller on'the'latter, a coating unit including a tank 'for coating substance horizontally slidable into' and out of said head, main support arms pivoted at one end of said head, auxiliary 'support' arms pivoted at one end on' said auxiliary'support arms, means'determinin'g the angular relationof'said auxiliary and main support arms, stop members on said auxiliary support arm's limiting'th'e' swingin'g'of. said auxiliary and main support arms together'iin' the direction lowering the free ends of said auxiliary support arms in relation to said head, a rotated tank roller carried by said auxiliary support arms and normally dipping into said tank on the head, a rotated:

a a n;

transfer roller and 'a rotated coatin'groller'carriedhy main support arms to receive coatingsubst'a'nce' frorn sa tankj'roller'and to apply coating,snbstance to'mate j advanced over said feed roller, respectively, and coop at-f ing mean'sjon' said auxiliary support arms and Unsaid 7 frame operative to 'limit the downward movement of said:

free ends of theauxiliary support arms with saidhead so that, when the downward displacement of said head is. continued beyond the elevation where said" cooperatinglimit means becomes operative, the free endso'f s'aid auxiliary support arms are lifted relative'to'said head'ltof raise said tank roller out of said tank and thereby pe'r'initj slidable removal of said tank from said head;

References Cited in the fileofithis patent V UNITED STATES PATEN IS 1,295,820 Watkins Feb: 25', 1919? 2,086,117 Case July 6, 1937 2,589,966 Rullo Mai. 18, T952 2,665,662 Richmond et a1. Ian.'1 2,J195'4' 2,731,945 1 956 Schaefer 'J'a'n'. 24, 

